Channing Tatum Officially Signs on to Star in Gambit

Channing Tatum will officially star as the titular superhero in the 20th Century Fox adaptation of Marvel's Gambit. A few weeks ago, this wouldn't have been news, but the news contradicts persistent rumors in the last week that Tatum was exiting the project.

It would have been extremely surprising if Tatum had actually left the project, as he has been Gambit's biggest champion. He has made it very clear that he's passionate about the character, as he jumpstarted production by attaching himself to star and produce, and stuck by the film when it had trouble finding a director. Until recently, it was more Tatum's pet project than anything else, and he even surprised fans in Hall H at San Diego Comic Con and participated in that adorably huge superhero selfie.

But apparently there was truth to the rumors that started swirling last week, as THR's sources report that there was a "sensitive spot" during his contract negotiation. Backend compensation was a point of dispute, and it was unclear how long Tatum's commitment would be, especially since Gambit is part of the extended X-Men universe Fox is building. There's still no word on how many movies Tatum signed on for, but the commitment is likely substantial, and if he's anything like Hugh Jackman, he could be playing this character for the next decade.

But still, it was an exaggeration that his status was really in danger, especially since he had already invested so much in the project. There were a couple of points of contention, but that's normal during a contract negotiation with an actor with a lot of star power.

Gambit will be directed by Rupert Wyatt, who helmed Rise of the Planet of the Apes, from a script by Josh Zetumer. It starts filming in October in Louisiana, and is slated for an October 7, 2016 release.